Site Specific

Currently I have site specific sculptures permanently on display in several Maryland parks and art centers. These sculptures were designed with groups of river stone set in symbolic or minimal patterns and placed in the earth. Each stone is hand engraved with a rhythmic line using a hammer and chisel. “Poseidon’s Gift” was selected to be shown in the “Art in the Park” outdoor sculpture exhibition at Quiet Waters Park in Annapolis, Maryland in 1995. This sculpture, a minimal representation of a fish, is permanently on display by the river walkway in the park. The show was sponsored by Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts and Quiet Waters Park. “The Pulse of Life” was created as part of Art Sites ‘96, sponsored by the Corcoran Gallery of Art and the International Sculpture Center. This work, a 210 foot circle of engraved river stones, was displayed in the Gardens of Tudor Place, Georgetown, Washington, DC. The sculpture took on a different arrangement at the Rockville Civic Center and Mansion Sculpture in the Park exhibit in 1997. “Slithering”, arranged as the title suggests, was placed behind the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre at the park in Rockville, Maryland. Two smaller versions of this work are now permanently on display. One is located in the park at Annemarie Gardens in Solomons, MD and the other is on the grounds of Strathmore Hall Arts Center in North Bethesda, MD. These works have also been shown at Brookside Gardens sculpture shows from 1997-2007 in Wheaton, Maryland, as well as many other events and shows in the region.

Free-form Marble

Rick takes a modern free-form approach to carving marble. As the carving begins a rhythmic movement emerges in the stone. This movement is similar to the movement of rivers and wind over the fields and mountains. You can also see this movement in the swirling lines of a finger print. Clement goes with the rhythm so that he to is surprised at the final outcome of the form. The tools used to complete a sculpture are a hammer, chisels, files and sanding blocks.

Engraving

Often before engraving an image onto a river stone Rick will choose a stone which already inspires the figure of a turtle, fish or whatever becomes the subject of the work. Usually there is some suggestion from the stone that inspires the work. Rick has also done some engraving on marble. Even a rectangular piece of marble has some predestined quality to it. Although the stone might determine the subject Rick produces multitudes of sketches from life and uses these as a reference when carving.